What a beautiful sight! Brothers and sisters, aloha.
To the graduating class of Brigham Young University–Hawaii, of this prestigious university and inspired academic institution, congratulations. You have worked hard, studied well, and continually prayed for, sought after, and recognized the blessings of heaven to achieve and to enjoy this defining moment in your life. Congratulations.
It is so wonderful to see the smiles on your faces. You have succeeded to this point, and we are excited for your future. To the devoted families and friends, and the faculty, administration and staff of BYU–Hawaii, thank you. Thank you for loving, guiding, and supporting each of these talented students through this journey that is paramount in their pursuit to become, and to help others, one-by-one, become lifelong, joyful disciples of Jesus Christ. Thank you.
It is my prayer that our hearts will be opened so that we may be taught, edified, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost as I share ways to accept Christ’s invitation to follow Him.
As a freshman at this historic campus, I was introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ and started my own journey along the covenant path of discipleship. There were many who ministered to me during this journey. Today, if its okay with you, I want to mention with grateful hearts, the loving contributions of four specific individuals that have helped me on my journey.
First, Coach Ken and Lisa Wagner. As a 17-year-old playing college basketball on this campus, my skills as a player were underdeveloped, which impaired my ability to compete with other college athletes. Many considered me to be athletic as I was quick and could jump just a little (actually, more than a little). Yet, my abilities to dribble the basketball, shoot to score points, and play defense were quite limited.
I received a partial athletic basketball scholarship because Coach Wagner saw in me potential and a person who was willing to work hard to improve. Coach Wagner gave me specific shooting and dribbling drills to work on and taught me the fundamentals needed to play better defense. He spent time with me before and after practice, monitored my improvement, and provided needed correction.
On several occasions, he invited me to his home for dinner with more one-on-one ministering by him and his lovely wife Lisa. The Wagners gave me my first copy of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ and they shared how the gospel of Jesus Christ continually blessed their lives as they chose to follow Him.
Next, it was Danny Frazier. Danny Frazier was a senior on the basketball team during my freshman year. He was a former All-American football player for the BYU Cougars but suffered a neck injury while playing college football that ended his career. He transferred to BYU–Hawaii to finish his undergraduate degree and to play college basketball.
Danny is six feet and seven inches tall and during his senior year he weighed about 220 pounds – all muscle. It was my responsibility to guard Danny Frazier in practice almost every day. At that time, I was six feet, maybe three inches tall and weighed maybe 180 pounds – all bones no muscle. Danny played basketball like a former All-American football player. I took my lumps and often left practice both exhausted and bruised.
Danny was also like a big brother who taught me the responsibilities of being a student-athlete and the importance of friendships. I had grown up in a home without positive influences from siblings and friends. I was young, immature, and consistently made childlike mistakes without understanding the consequences. Danny ministered to me along this unfamiliar path of gaining a university education. He taught me by example what it means to follow Jesus Christ.
He invited me to attend youth devotionals where he was asked to speak and to answer questions. I would sit in the back of the chapel or in someone’s house watching, listening, and learning. Danny Frazier shared how the gospel of Jesus Christ continually blessed his life as he chose to follow Him.
And then, there was Gary Smith. During the second semester of my freshman year here at BYU–Hawaii, my academic advisor reminded me that to graduate, I needed to take religion classes. I enrolled in a Book of Mormon course to better understand the doctrine of Christ. Now, please note that I was a student and arrived on campus, I was a devoted Muslim studying with the Nation of Islam. My understanding of Jesus Christ, His doctrine, and His ministry was limited.
Gary Smith was my instructor for the Book of Mormon religion class. He gave reading assignments to be studied before class, and to ensure we had read the material, he gave a quiz at the start of each class period. At the start of the semester, I was diligent in keeping up with the reading and would typically score a nine or a ten on every 10-point quiz.
As the semester progressed, and with the demands of other course commitments, my average score on those quizzes dropped significantly to maybe a one or two out of ten. However, on each graded quiz where my performance was subpar, there was still a smiling face hand-drawn by Brother Smith’s children who I learned later actually graded the daily quizzes. The smiling face on my subpar quiz performance was his children’s way of reminding me not to be discouraged.
At the end of the semester and before final grades were posted, I was packing up my belongings to return to Mililani where I lived prior to attending BYU–Hawaii. As I was gathering my belongings, there was note left in my dorm room that read, “Peter, Brother Gary Smith needs to see you as soon as possible.”
I went to the post office to give the staff my forwarding address and in my mailbox there was another note, “Peter, Gary Smith needs to see you as soon as possible.” After receiving this second notice, I began to panic. I knew my quiz performance in class had dwindled significantly but to my knowledge no one had ever failed a class in religion, at BYU–Hawaii.
I went to Brother Smith’s office. He was not there. His secretary informed me that he was having lunch in the Banyan Dining Hall, which was formerly known as the Seasider Cafeteria. When I arrived at the café, he was there waiting for me. He bought me a hamburger, French fries, and a drink, and then proceeded to tell me why he wanted to meet with me.
As I recall, he said something like this. “Peter, I understand you have taken the missionary lessons.” I replied, “Yes sir. I have enjoyed meeting with the missionaries, but I have no desire to be baptized.” He then said, “Peter, I believe you will one day be baptized. It may occur soon, or it may take some time, but I am confident you will one day be baptized and become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
In learning from Brother Smith that semester, I loved how he provided explanations that were simple, clear and direct. I never left his class or had a conversation with him where I left feeling confused or unsure about what he was trying to invite me to do.
He continued by sharing a scripture from the Book of Mormon, Ether 12:6, which reads:
“And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. “ [1]
After he read the scripture, I wondered what this scripture had to do with me. Brother Smith explained, “Peter, I believe you want to have some type of a vision or physical evidence as a witness to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, letting you know these are the words of Christ, Joseph Smith is His prophet, and His living church has been restored to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Messiah.”
Brother Smith was correct. I thought if Joseph Smith received a vision, why can’t I? Why can’t I receive some physical manifestation to let me know if what I’m feeling is true?
Brother Smith continued, “Dispute not because ye see not for you will not receive a greater witness until you act upon the things you already know to be true. Peter, as you act by being baptized you will receive a greater witness that these things are true.”
Brother Smith was again correct. Remember, he had said, whether it occurred sooner or later, one day I would be baptized. I left the Seasider Cafeteria grateful for Brother Smith’s loving kindness, grateful for the meal we shared together, and relieved that I was not going to fail my Book of Mormon religion class. I also left knowing that one day I would be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ.
Eighteen months after my conversation with Brother Smith, I fasted and prayed to know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and Joseph Smith is His prophet. I did not have a vision or receive any physical manifestation. As I concluded my prayer in my dorm room that evening, I had the same feelings I had when ministered to by Coach and Lisa Wagner, by Danny Frazier, and by Brother Gary Smith, but these feelings came when I was by myself, and I knew they came from God.
I had my answer. I had my witness. Or, in other words, the witnesses that I had previously received were validated. I was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and invited to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost at Temple beach just a few hundred yards away from this campus.
One year later, I was endowed with power from Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ as I received ordinances and made covenants with Them in the Laie Hawaii Temple.
My friends, please know that for me there is no more sacred academic institution on the planet, and no academic institution that means so much to me personally, than Brigham Young University–Hawaii. Not one.
My journey along the covenant path of discipleship started on this campus. My journey in developing my sacred relationship with God and Christ and my testimony of the power to minister to the one started on this campus. My journey to understand the importance of achieving academic excellence and of giving back started on this campus. My journey, like many of you, I came as a student on this campus, the first in my family to ever attend a university. The first in my family to ever graduate from a university. My journey of goodness, of love, and of understanding my Savior’s role, started on this campus.
I am eternally grateful. I cannot find the words to adequately express how deeply I feel about Brigham Young University–Hawaii. Any words to describe these innermost feelings of my heart are insufficient.
My friends, I know this campus means as much to many of you as it does to me. I invite you with all the energy of my soul to always remember and to ‘treasure up’ [2] what the Lord has allowed you to feel, to see, to learn, and to become. You are His. Your association with this campus and with this community has been divinely orchestrated. Your association with this campus and with this community has been divinely orchestrated. You did not come here by mistake. This campus was built for you. This campus has come through prophetic revelation. This campus is for you.
At the beginning of His mortal ministry, you remember, Jesus walked along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and called out to two fishermen, Peter and Andrew, saying “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets and followed him.” [3]
My friends, this same invitation is extended to you and to me. “Follow me,” Christ declared. May we be like Peter and Andrew and leave behind nets of distraction, nets of deception, and nets of disobedience that limit our covenant commitment to immediately follow Jesus Christ.
Our ability to answer His call and our ability to accept His invitation to become fishers of men and of women will be enhanced as we live the doctrine of Christ. Living the doctrine of Christ will ‘produce the most powerful virtuous cycle, creating spiritual momentum in our lives.’ [4]
The doctrine of Christ constitutes five interconnected elements: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement; repentance; receiving ordinances and honoring covenants so that we can be sanctified by Holy Ghost; and endure to the end.
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a principle of action and of divine power. Repentance is the exercising of one’s faith in Christ by turning our hearts and souls towards Him. Repentance is not punishment. Repentance is powerful because it allows God’s power into our lives.
A dear friend once mentioned to me that ‘repentance is giving God and Christ our humanity so They can bless us with Their divinity.’ It is the process of being spiritually born of Jesus and receiving His image into our countenance.
If we truly understood the element of repentance, we would run to it. Remember, repentance is powerful because it allows God’s power into our lives. Receiving ordinances and honoring covenants made with God and Christ gives us access to Their power, gives us access to Their love, and allows us to be sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
And enduring to the end, oh my friends...Enduring to the end is not just gritting our teeth and holding on and waiting to die, No! Enduring to the end is living each element of the doctrine of Christ “repeatedly and iteratively” so that we can be transformed and blessed with the gift of charity.
Our daily study of the Book of Mormon, worthily partaking of the sacrament each week, and regular worship in the house of the Lord helps us to live and understand the doctrine of Christ.
Remember the words of President Nelson. He declared, “Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple. You will feel His mercy. You will find answers to your most vexing questions. You will better comprehend the joy of His gospel.” [5]
Living the doctrine of Christ allows you and me to more fully accept Christ’s invitation to follow Him and leave behind nets of distraction, nets of deception, and nets of disobedience.
As we follow Him, we will remember all that we have felt from this sacred institution and we will continue our journey of becoming lifelong, joyful disciples of Jesus Christ.
I so promise, I so witness, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes:
[1] Ether 12:6
[2] Doctrine and Covenants 84:85
[3] Matthew 4:18-20
[4] Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, November 2022, 97
[5] Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” Liahona, November 2024, 121-122